Merit-based card draws, quickly become a Heavenly Emperor

Fang Zheng looked at him, but Huo Shouguang's smile remained unchanged, though his eyes drifted to the side, not daring to meet Fang Zheng's gaze.

Fang Zheng smiled and said, "Alright, I will investigate."

Huo Shouguang was taken aback, clearly not expecting Fang Zheng to agree so readily.

He originally thought Fang Zheng would refuse or argue with him, and he even prepared several sets of arguments.

As a result, Founder Group immediately agreed.

Overjoyed, he immediately brought up a second matter.

Shen Xingzhou died, and the position of county magistrate became vacant.

According to the laws and regulations of the Great Qian Dynasty, when a county magistrate is vacant, he should be temporarily replaced by a county lieutenant or concurrently by a supervising officer.

"Lord Fang, the position of county magistrate cannot remain vacant for long. I have served as county lieutenant for many years and am familiar with county affairs, so I should temporarily take over."

"A new appointment will be made pending further instructions from the prefectural government."

Fang Zheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said unhurriedly, "Lord Huo is right."

However, as the Chief Supervisor, I am also responsible for supervising county-level government affairs according to the law.

The position of County Assistant Magistrate has both administrative power and supervisory responsibility. If it is temporarily filled by the County Commandant, then administration, supervision, and criminal justice would be concentrated in one person, which might be inappropriate.

According to Fang Zheng's understanding from the Secret Card, the county magistrate Huo Shouguang had been exchanging glances and colluding with the White Tiger Society.

In the past, there was also the county magistrate Shen Xingzhou who could act as a check and balance.

If Huo Shouguang succeeds again and really takes the position of county magistrate, then the White Tiger Society will truly be able to run rampant in Cangwu County.

Upon hearing Fang Zheng's words, Huo Shouguang's smile froze: "Lord Fang, you are mistaken. I have served in Cangwu County for more than ten years and have never made a mistake."

Besides, it's only a temporary position for a few days. If the prefectural government learns that the position of county magistrate is vacant, they will naturally appoint a new person as soon as possible..."

Fang Zheng put down his teacup and looked at him: "Lord Huo, I am not discussing this with you."

It is the duty of the Supervisory Commissioner to oversee county-level government affairs.

The position of county magistrate should be concurrently held by this official. If you have any objections, you may submit a petition to the prefectural government.

Huo Shouguang's face turned pale and then white, then pale and then pale again, before finally managing to squeeze out, "Since Lord Fang says so, I will personally write to the prefectural government."

Fang Zheng cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Do as you please." Then he turned and walked out.

Having received authorization from the prefectural government, Huo Shouguang, the county magistrate, explicitly declined the request. Now, he is officially authorized to investigate the murder of County Magistrate Shen Xingzhou. This is not considered overstepping his authority or acting beyond his authority.

It's laughable that Huo Shouguang went to great lengths to get Fang Zheng to take over the investigation, thinking he was throwing away a hot potato.

Little did Fang Zheng know that he was already trying to obtain the power to investigate the case, and he was really worried if he let Huo Shouguang investigate.

Huo Shouguang looked at Fang Zheng's retreating figure and suddenly felt uneasy.

.........

After leaving the inner hall, Fang Zheng did not return to his residence, but instead took Guan Tieyi to Shen Xingzhou's mansion again.

It was nearly dusk, and the Shen residence had already been sealed off. Two yamen runners were standing at the gate, and when they saw Fang Zheng arrive, they quickly made way.

Fang Zheng pushed open the door and went in, with Guan Tieyi following behind.

The mourning hall has been set up, the coffin is placed in the main hall, and incense, candles and fruit offerings are placed in front of it.

Shen Xingzhou's headless body has been properly preserved, dressed in a new official robe, and his head is covered with a white cloth.

Fang Zheng did not go to the mourning hall, but went directly into the bedroom.

The doors and windows had been opened to let in fresh air, but the faint smell of blood still lingered.

Fang Zheng stood in front of the desk, his eyes gleaming as he carefully examined the spot where the corpse had lain.

There was a faint scratch on the desk, as if it had been scraped by something.

Fang Zheng gestured, indicating that the scratch was located on the right side of the corpse.

"Someone has been searching through things here," Fang Zheng said.

Guan Tieyi leaned closer to look: "What is that?"

Fang Zheng did not answer, but instead took out the books from the bookshelf one by one and looked through them.

Most of the books were ordinary classics, yellowed and curled from frequent use.

Fang Zheng read every single book, putting it back after finishing one, moving very slowly, as if he were looking for something.

He stopped when he reached the third floor.

This layer of books is thinner than the others, and there's a gap in the middle of the four books, making it seem like one is missing.

Fang Zheng pulled out the four books and touched the bottom of the bookshelf. There was a thin layer of dust on it, but there was a clean spot in the middle.

"What used to be here?" Fang Zheng said. "Not a book, smaller than a book, square, about this size."

He gestured with his hand, indicating it was about the size of a palm.

Guan Tieyi asked, "Could it be that Lord Shen took it himself?"

Fang Zheng shook his head: "If he took it himself, there wouldn't be any dust on the bottom."

The items were taken after his death.

Fang Zheng didn't say anything more. He walked around the bedroom again, but found nothing, so he returned to the mourning hall.

He dismissed the constables and Shen Fu, then lifted the white cloth covering the coffin to examine the headless corpse's hands closely.

He hadn't had a chance to look closely before in the bedroom, but this time he looked even more carefully.

The corpse's hands were large, with thick knuckles, and thick calluses on the tiger's mouth and the outside of the index finger.

Fang Zheng himself practices martial arts and knows how these calluses are formed.

Calluses only develop on the tiger's mouth and the outside of the index finger when someone holds a knife for a long time.

When civil officials write, calluses form on the first joint of their thumb, index finger, and middle finger.

The owner of this corpse was a warrior.

Fang Zheng stood up and looked at the corpse's shoulders again. They were broad and sturdy, with prominent deltoid muscles, the result of years of drawing a bow or wielding a knife.

According to the case file, Shen Xingzhou was a civil official who practiced Taoist arts. Even if he occasionally trained, it would be impossible for him to develop such a physique.

"This might not be Lord Shen," Fang Zheng said.

Guan Tieyi was taken aback: "Sir, you mean...?"

"Although the dead person was wearing the official robes of a county magistrate, it should not be Lord Shen's body."

Guan Tieyi gasped.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside the courtyard, approaching and stopping at the gate.

Immediately afterwards, a woman's voice rang out, tinged with sobs.

"father!"

A woman in a tight-fitting outfit rushed into the mourning hall like the wind, knelt on the ground, threw herself on the coffin, and cried her heart out.

She was dressed in white, with a sword at her waist and her long hair tied up in a crown; she was the same woman Fang Zheng had met at the Cold Crow Mountain Inn a few days ago.

Ning Xuejian.

The old servant walked over shakily, tears streaming down his face, and nodded to Fang Zheng: "Lord Fang, this is my young lady, Lord Shen's only daughter."

Ning Xuejian cried for a long time before the old servant helped her up. Her eyes were red and swollen, her nose was bright red, and the tear stains on her face were still wet.

She turned around and saw Fang Zheng.

"Is it you?"

Ning Xuejian paused for a moment, wiped away her tears, and said in a hoarse voice, "Yes, you are the newly appointed Supervisory Officer of Cangwu County."

Fang Zheng nodded: "Miss Ning, we meet again."

Ning Xuejian stared at him for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Does my father know about your capture of the White Tiger Clan members at Cold Crow Mountain?"

Fang Zheng shook his head: "I have only been in office for one day and have not yet had the chance to pay my respects to Lord Shen."

Ning Xuejian bit her lip, and tears welled up again, but she didn't cry out. She just wiped them away forcefully.

"My father wrote to me a few months ago, saying he had something to ask me and asked me to come back."

I set off as soon as I received the letter, rushing back from out of state, encountering a blizzard along the way and taking a long detour…”

Her voice trembled slightly, "But I'm still too late."